Winner's Circle™ Climbing Rose

Winner's Circle™ is hardy in zones 4 to 10 and performs best in full sun (at least six hours of direct light daily) in rich, well-drained soil. Like all roses, it rewards a sunny, airy spot with strong growth and heavy bloom.

Planting

1. Choose a full-sun site with good air circulation, near the support (trellis, arbor, pillar, or fence) you want it to climb.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and just as deep, loosening the surrounding soil to encourage roots to spread.
3. Set the plant so the crown (the swollen graft union, if present) sits at or just below the soil surface; in colder zones, plant the graft 1 to 2 inches below grade for winter protection.
4. Backfill with the amended native soil, firm gently to remove air pockets, and water in deeply to settle the roots.
5. Mulch with 2 to 3 inches of bark or compost to hold moisture and moderate soil temperature, keeping the mulch a few inches back from the canes.

Care & maintenance

• Water. Keep the soil evenly moist the first season while roots establish; once settled, give a deep soak about once a week, more in heat. Water at the base and keep foliage dry to discourage disease.
• Feed. Use a balanced rose fertilizer in early spring as growth begins, then feed again through the season to fuel repeat bloom; stop feeding 6 to 8 weeks before your first expected frost so new growth hardens off.
• Light. Full sun is essential. Too much shade reduces flowering and invites disease.
• Prune. Climbing roses bloom on a framework of older canes, so prune in late winter or early spring: remove dead, damaged, or crossing wood, shorten the side shoots (laterals) to a few buds, and tie the long main canes more horizontally to encourage flowering along their length. Avoid hard cutting of healthy main canes.
• Train. Tie new canes loosely to the support as they grow, spacing them to fill the structure; horizontal or fan-shaped training produces the most blooms.
• Mulch & winter care. Refresh mulch each spring. In the coldest zones, mound soil or mulch over the base in late fall for extra protection.
• Pests & disease. Watch for aphids, blackspot, and powdery mildew. Good airflow, base watering, and prompt removal of fallen leaves go a long way; treat as needed if problems appear.
• Bloom tips. Deadhead spent flower clusters through summer to keep new flushes coming.

When does it bloom and how long?

Winner's Circle™ is a repeat bloomer, flowering from spring through fall. Instead of one early burst, it produces successive flushes of red clusters across the warm season, with the heaviest shows in late spring and early summer and continued color into autumn.

Why isn't my climbing rose blooming?

The most common causes are too little sun, pruning at the wrong time, or over-feeding. Climbing roses need full sun (six-plus hours) to flower well. Cutting back healthy main canes too hard, or pruning in summer, removes the framework that carries blooms. Excess nitrogen pushes leafy growth at the expense of flowers, so use a balanced rose food and deadhead spent clusters to encourage more.

When and how should I prune it?

Prune in late winter or early spring before strong growth begins. Remove dead, weak, or crossing wood, shorten the side shoots (laterals) to a few buds, and keep the long main canes intact. Training those main canes more horizontally along the support encourages flowering all along their length rather than just at the tips.

Does it need full sun?

Yes. This rose performs best in full sun, with at least six hours of direct light daily. More sun and good air circulation mean stronger growth, heavier bloom, and fewer disease problems. A shaded spot will produce sparse flowers and weaker canes.

How cold-hardy is it?

It is rated for USDA zones 4 through 10, a wider cold range than many climbing roses. In the coldest zones, plant the graft union an inch or two below the soil line and mound mulch or soil over the base in late fall for added winter protection.

What can I grow it on?

Its long, flexible canes (10 to 12 feet) and narrow 3-to-4-foot footprint make it well suited to a trellis, arbor, pillar, obelisk, fence, or wall. Tie the canes loosely to the support as they grow, fanning them out to cover the structure and maximize bloom.